


your love's put me at the top of the world

by sapphicroisa (orphan_account)



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: AU, Abuse, Additional Warnings Apply, Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexuality, Blood and Gore, Co-workers, Domestic Violence, Emotional Roller Coaster, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gay, Gay Character, Gay Rights, Healing, Heroes & Heroines, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Female Character, LGBTQ Themes, Lesbian Character, Literal Sleeping Together, Memories, Minor Character Death, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Near Death Experiences, Non-Canon Compliant Relationship, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Canon Compliant, Oblivious, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Past Abuse, Pets, Police, Protectiveness, Sleeping Together, Villains, We Just Love Each Other, academy au, that gay shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:35:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24948544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sapphicroisa
Summary: raquel turns to alicia when alberto threatens her life.
Relationships: Berlin | Andrés de Fonollosa/Alicia Sierra, Berlin | Andrés de Fonollosa/Palermo | Martín Berrote, Berlin | Andrés de Fonollosa/Raquel Murillo, Berlin | Andrés de Fonollosa/Tatiana, Nairobi | Ágata Jiménez/Alicia Sierra, Nairobi | Ágata Jiménez/Tokyo | Silene Oliveira, Raquel Murillo & Alicia Sierra, Raquel Murillo/Alberto Vicuña, Raquel Murillo/Alicia Sierra, Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 10
Kudos: 68





	1. numbness never lasts

**Author's Note:**

> this first chapter is just raquel and alberto, and it's exceptionally short, so i apologise for that!! ralicia en route.

Throbbing pain: sharp and prevalent against her burning skin. Every inch of her body stung, excruciating against the cold tiles she had collapsed onto, his tall figure still lingering above her. She tried to open her mouth, to say something that could possibly persuade him to stop, a sign of surrender, but all that could escape was a low whimper. A feeling of weakness pooled in her stomach; the same feeling she reverted to every time he hit her. She knew she wasn't weak, though. No matter how many times he knocked her down, she would always prove her strength, be it by gaining the upper hand against him, or getting up.

"Get up." She flinched at the darkness behind his voice, expecting a fist, a kick, anything, to cause yet another bruise. It never came. "Raquel." His tone was stern, but softer than before, some sick attempt at an apology, she assumed. "Mi amor... Please get up."

A soft "no..." was all she could muster as a tear crashed into the black tiles. Her cheeks burned a deep red, streaked with dampness and partially dried blood. She could feel every ridge of the floor beneath her face, cutting into the soft flesh, almost numbing her from the rest of the pain.

"Raquel, I'm so sorry." A sob escaped her throat as his hand caressed her aching shoulder. "Come to bed, baby. Come on, I'll help you up." Her body tensed at his touch: a strong hand gripping her arm in an attempt to force her to her feet.

"Don't touch me." Tightening his grip, he pulled on her arm slightly, subtle delight spreading to his eyes as she writhed beneath him. She cried out in agony, her knees curling up into her chest, a well practiced defence mechanism against his powerful blows. "Alberto, please..." Her voice was nothing more than a hushed whimper.

"I said get up, Raquel. Now." She shook her head, her eyes tightly closed to hide the tears that constantly threatened to overflow. "Now." His hands grabbed at her hips, pulling her closer to him as she clawed at his wrists.

"Don't fucking touch me." Fear flashed across her face, the same fear one would expect to see on the face of a deer through the scope of a hunting rifle, or a small child taunted by a crowd of relentless bullies. She was scared, terrified even, of what she knew he was capable of. "Don't touch me. Please don't... Please."

"Fine. Sleep on the floor then. But don't come begging to me when you want to be touched." He knelt down, grabbing his wife by the hair. "I'm not finished with you, puta." Dampness against her face. Saliva, she assumed.

"I wouldn't want you to touch me if you were the last man alive, motherfucker."

"Well, unfortunately for you, bitch, I'm going to be the last man to ever see you alive. Don't fucking test me, Raquel. I will fucking kill you, and I'm always going to win." With that, he slammed the door, leaving her alone in a pool of her own tears and blood.


	2. hold my hand, and it'll all go away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an escape route.
> 
> another shortish chapter because im lazy.

"Paula?" Her fingers traced the outline of her daughter's arm, slipping into her hand and squeezing softly. Large eyes flickered open, meeting those of her mother, hovering slightly above her. "Paula, honey? Can you sit up for me?" The child nodded, rubbing her eyes with the backs of each hand. "I'm sorry to wake you."

A spark of guilt ignited in Raquel's stomach, guilt for Paula, having to see her mother in such a vulnerable state. Damaged, battered... She could think of oh so many words that would tarnish her reputation as a strong, powerful woman. She didn't care about that, though, not at that moment. All she cared about was Paula, and getting her to safety.

"Mama?" A small voice threw her head first, back into the present, into the state of panic that was more than inevitable. "What happened to your face?"

"Your father and I had a..." She paused, taming Paula's hair with soft strokes as she attempted to find the most appropriate word. She didn't want to alarm her, the small child didn't need any sort of evil in her life, threatening her happiness. "we had a disagreement, my love."

"He hurt you?" Her voice seemed more hesitant than usual, laced with fear and realisation, something her mother had never heard from her before. Her father was a villain, a monster even, and Paula knew it for certain, not needing Raquel's confirmation. She could hear it in her voice, and she could read it on her bloodied face.

Paula had always been a smart child, always able to assess a situation and differentiate between good and bad without having to check twice. Her ability to read people had always been something she kept to herself, not wanting to scare her family with accusations against her father, all of which would have severely lacked evidence. She knew he was bad, she just didn't know how. Until then.

"Sí, mijita." A warm hand pressed against her chest, making sure she didn't hurt her any more than she had already been hurt, feeling Raquel's fast paced heart beat, the adrenaline from the abuse still very much there. "But don't you worry that beautiful head about it, I'm fine. We're going to be fine, better than fine, in fact. We're going to be wonderful and happy, and we're going to be safe."

"Do you promise?" She stuck out her pinky finger, her wide eyes staring expectantly at her mother, slightly darkened with worry.

"Of course, Paula. I promise." Her pinky wrapped around her daughter's, pulling her closer to herself, allowing their foreheads to brush against the other's. "I swear to you, I will never let anything happen to you, sweetheart. I swear it." The pijama clad arms that wrapped around her neck caused her to flinch slightly, before pushing her over the emotional ledge she had been teetering on the edge of, silently sobbing into the girls hair. "Te amo. Te amo, Paula."

"Te amo, mama." She placed a soft kiss on Raquel's cheek, ignoring the metallic taste that coated her lips. "I want to protect you too. I promise he won't hurt you again."

"Paula, my beautiful girl..." Another quiet sob caught in her throat as she cupped her face, her thumbs caressing small circles into her skin. "It's my job to protect us both. You don't have to protect me, but it means so much to me that you want to."

"Sí, mama. But I don't want you to get hurt. Ever again. I won't let him." She was so strong, Raquel thought as she wiped the tears from her daughter's face. So strong, and so young. She didn't deserve to see her mother so broken.

"Gracias. Te amo." A kiss against her forehead, and another placed on the tip of her nose was enough to calm Paula's cries to silent tears.

"Te amo." A timid smile greeted Raquel's watering eyes.

"Can you pack a little bag quickly? A few of your shirts, some trousers and some underwear? We have to leave here." She moved to the bottom of the bed, granting Paula enough space to get up.

"Yes." She opened her chest of drawers, pastel pink and white with subtle flowers painted on them to match the wallpaper she had picked out two years ago, and removed three of her favourite t-shirts. "Where are we going to go?"

"Do you remember mama's friend Alicia?" A raised brow and narrowed eyes were closely followed by a slow nod. "We are going to stay with her. She will protect us, sweetheart."

"Did she promise?" The innocence in her tone made her mother chuckle quietly.

"Mi hija, tranquilo. Alicia promised to protect you from the day that you were born. She loves you like you are her own flesh and blood, her own beautiful daughter. Tranquilo." A fuzzy feeling in the bottom of her stomach warmed her body in the most relaxing way possible. Love, that was the conclusion she came to. Unconditional, unwavering love for both Paula Vicuña and Alicia Sierra. God, she loved them both to the ends of the earth and beyond.

"Can I be? Alicia could be my new father, I don't want papa to be my father anymore." Paula's words hit Raquel harder than any of Alberto's punches. She believed her.

"You can ask Alicia that when we arrive?"

"Okay!" Raquel let out a happy sigh, watching the last of Paula's fear and worry drain from her face, replaced with excitement and anticipation.

"Shh. Shh, love. We need to be quiet. Can you do that for me?" A nod and a smile followed, and Paula continued to pack her clothes into a Tinkerbell backpack.

Tinkerbell, something Paula had loved since she had first learned how to love, so much so that Raquel too, had grown to love the tiny fairy. The green fabric had faded to a muddy sludge grey, fraying at the edges from over use, but Paula refused to throw it away. Raquel had bought her countless new bags, each depicting a cute puppy or a short, brown haired woman with cat ears and a tail with her tall, blonde girlfriend, but none of them ever lasted as long as her precious Tinkerbell. She had even attempted to replace it, buying the same style from a French woman on eBay, but it was still no use. Paula had refused to surrender it over and over again until Raquel eventually gave up trying, she was far too stubborn to be talked into giving it up. Her stubbornness was one of the hopefully many traits the seven year old had gained from Raquel.

"Done." She let out a tiny giggle, whispering something under her breath, too quiet for Raquel to hear.

"What did you say?" A smile played at the corners of her mouth as she watched her daughter laugh. Paula had always been Raquel's source of happiness, even when things were bad with Alberto.

"Nothing, mama." They spoke in hushed whispers, the small girl's hand finding its way into her mother's as they stood.

"Ready to go then, darling?" Her smile reached her eyes for the first time that night, pride overtaking the fear she had lived with for her entire adult life.

"Yep." Two sets of slow footsteps echoed through the room, making their way to the ajar bedroom door.

"Are you scared?" The darkened corridor felt colder than usual, the air tinged with a light fragrance Raquel had never experienced before. Courage. Power. Freedom. That was it: freedom. She was free. They were free, finally.

"No, mama. I'm happy. I pinky promise." Pinky fingers intertwined once again, a slight squeeze from each, and they let go, smiles adorning their faces. "Are you?"

"Hm?" They walked side by side, avoiding every loose floorboard as if their life depended on it, because, in a way, their lives did depend on it. Each step was careful and well rehearsed, after all, Raquel had done this same routine every time Alberto hit her. Every time. Something about that didn't sit right with the inspectora. Every time... She had let him hit her more than once, more than a dozen times, and yet she hadn't left him. Until then.

"Are you scared?"

"No, my love. You and Alicia are all I need to be strong. I swear to Tinkerbell that I'm going to keep you both safe." She unlocked the front door, sliding the key into her back pocket as she pulled back the bolt. The scent of the cool night hit her, alongside the realisation of what they were doing.

"To Tinkerbell?" Excitement was evident in her voice, her eyes twinkling in the dim light of the doorway as she smiled up at Raquel.

"Sí. To Tinkerbell. Let's get to the car." She tugged on her hand, careful not to pull her too hard as the front door swung closed.


	3. safe in your arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> alicia lets them in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one's short, sorry

"Come on, Sierra... Pick up for fucks sake." Her hand shook as she pressed the phone against her ear, using the other to open the car door. Silence. Alicia had picked up. "Alicia..." She let her eyes wander to the back seat, scanning over the sleeping child before gently letting out a defeated sigh.

"Raquel? It's 4am, why are you calling?"

Shallow gasps slipped past Raquel's parted lips, followed by a shaky whine.

"Murillo? Is something wrong?"

Raquel lifted Paula into her arms, still soundly sleeping, not bothering to close the door. "I'm..." She made her way to the elevator, struggling to press the button for Alicia's floor. "I'm fine. I'll be fine." 

"Raquel... where are you? I'm starting to get worried."

A knock at her apartment door startled her momentarily, managing to wake her up enough to fully process that Raquel may be in danger.

"Outside. Please let me in, Alicia. I have Paula with me." Raquel knew that no matter how much Alicia tried to turn her away, whatever excuse she made as to why she was busy, she would never put her nor her daughter in danger, regardless of her carefree façade. She would open the door and she would let them in, even if it meant dropping everything.

Her legs carried to the door without a second thought, as if on a protective autopilot, pulling the latch back as quickly as she could. The beating in her chest failed to ease as she twisted the handle, unprepared for what she was about to witness.

"I'm sorry for turning up unannounced." A small smile in Alicia's direction was enough to calm her slightly. She was alive, and she was able to walk. The room was dim, managing to obscure the bruises that littered Raquel's face.

"Give her to me, I'll put her to bed." Alicia reached for Paula, giving her forehead a careful kiss before lifting the peaceful child from her mother's arms. "Make yourself at home, I won't be long."

Her fingers reached blindly for the light switch, familiar enough with her surroundings to look directly into the mirror as the bulb flickered on. Hardly recognising herself, she stared, her gaze lingering on each cut and bruise, working her way up to stained cheeks and empty eyes. She held her breath, running her fingertip across her face in the most gentle motion she could.

Something about Alicia's apartment had always made Raquel feel safe, protected to a certain extent. Perhaps it was the countless nights they had sat on the old sofa together, reading case files and making small talk into the silence of the night, or the morning after, where she awoke with a strong arm around her waist and a warm body pressed against her back. It could have been the tiny orange kitten that roamed with his fluffy head held high, despite his size, rubbing against her legs as if to claim her as his territory, or curled into her lap as she cried into Alicia's shoulder.

Raquel was certain, however, that it was simply the other woman's presence that kept her in a constant state of tranquility.

Every tender kiss against her cheek, or various parts of her body, soothing each bruise left by her husband, revealed a new layer to Alicia, each softer than the one before. Her bright smiles that always, always reached her eyes had become a great comfort to Raquel, regardless of whether she was the recipient or simply a bystander to another's happiness.

She could feel her body begin to give in, succumbing to the unbearable pain as her knees slowly buckled under her. Stretching an arm backwards, she reached for the wall, letting herself crumple into a small pile of limbs. She knew she should get up, should try to make her way to a seat to reassure Alicia that she was fine, but she wasn't fine. She had never been fine, not in the fifteen years she had been married to Alberto, give or take. It had been hell. Luckily, Alicia had been there for her every step of the way, providing an escape route for her and her daughter.

And on that thought, she fell asleep, curled into a small ball on the floor.


End file.
